“It’s very close to my heart” - When Pato O'Ward hailed his Mexican support after upsetting two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden

May 2, 2021, was a pivotal day in Pato O'Ward's racing career. The Arrow McLaren driver took his first IndyCar win in an eventful race at Texas Motor Speedway by beating 2x champ Josef Newgarden by 1.24 seconds. Euphoria followed, and the Mexican driver made sure that he thanked fans from his home country post-race.

O'Ward came into the XPEL 375 with a mixed bag of results in the previous three races. He had a P4 in Alabama, a P19 in St. Petersburg, and a P3 in the first Texas race the day before.

The race began with a huge Lap 1 crash where six drivers DNFed. However, O'Ward, who did his schooling in San Antonio, was on a mission to conquer the track he considered his home track. With 24 laps to go, he overtook Newgarden's No. 2 Chevrolet for the lead and held it till the checkered flag. After the race, he described the wave of emotions that he felt winning his maiden IndyCar race at his special place. O'Ward said (via IndyCar),

"Finally! That was a long race, but we had so much pace in the Arrow McLaren SP No. 5. We got the job done today, man. I couldn’t be happier for a group of guys. It’s Texas. It’s very close to my heart. Many Mexicans were out there in the grandstands, so thank you guys so much,"

The win was all the more special because that is where he started his IndyCar career with Arrow McLaren. Moreover, the win also activated a verbal agreement held between him and McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who had promised the driver an F1 test in Abu Dhabi that year if he won a race. Brown wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

"A deal's a deal ⁦‪@PatricioOWard‬⁩ -- what a win! See you in Abu Dhabi later this year!"

Pato O'Ward capitalized on the momentum from this victory, winning the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on June 13. He ended the season third in the standings, his best career finish.

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Pato O'Ward's wouldn't change his "rollercoaster" racing journey for anything

AUTO: JUN 13 INDYCAR - Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Race 2 - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward is a versatile racing driver. Growing up, the Mexican driver raced in 13 different competitions, which he credited as contributing to his holistic growth. For him, all this was part of the uphill journey to his ultimate dream - the dream of racing in F1.

After testing the McLaren MCL35M in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2021, he said he found the experience "addictive." Though the possibility of an F1 contract with the team seems far away, considering Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are locked in for the long haul, O'Ward is relishing his IndyCar career.

During the 2024 F1 Las Vegas GP last weekend, he told Indy NXT driver and Mastercard Ambassador Lindsay Brewer about his racing journey. He said:

"I got on a go-kart when I was six years old. Since then I'm like, ‘I like this’, and then I went to a race. It started as a hobby and then turned into something where I was like, ‘Maybe I want to do this forever’. It's a rollercoaster of a journey but I wouldn't change it for anything. I love it."

In 2024, Pato O'Ward finished fifth in the IndyCar standings with three wins and 460 points. He continues to be McLaren's F1 reserve driver.